Hopkins city council voted to deny a group care home’s amendment to zoning where they operate to allow them to operate caring for 7–10 people. Hopkins zoning says only 6 cared for residents as set by the state as the ground floor minimum, though Minnetonka in the same zoning allows for much more.

The large-lot neighborhood behind the property fence said excess traffic to the group care home would risk safety to the neighborhood. The home has been caring for more than 6 (under 10) for years with no complaints about traffic or safety all these years.

It is literally across the street from a multistory apartment building and kitty corner across the highway from another multistory apartment building. Also a property away from a busy private golf club’s clubhouse. But 8 patients in a care home that no one knew about was too much.

The issue came to the front because an inspection discovered the mismatch with patients and city’s rock bottom compliance with state law. I believe the reporting has it wrong when it states that 6 is the limit when I believe 6 is the bare minimum. Hopkins zoning caps at the state minimum.

Arby’s on Blake Road gossip heard on Nextdoor. Person who claims to have connection to the owner of the land says the owner refused to renew the Arby’s lease because they believe that because they are adjacent to the Blake Road Station that the value of the land for redevelopment in the short term is high.

The Blake Road station IS being built with a plain and small parking lot with the hope a future development on the Arby’s lot is willing to incorporate a public parking structure like was done with the Moline and would also desire to extend over the small lot that is being added as part of SWLRT.

Would be fascinating if that was able to happen before the LRT finishes, I wonder how that would affect the station plans during construction...

Just noticed the River Bluffs trail is closed between 11th and Shady Oak coming home today. Not sure if its necessary related but might be a sign that some SWLRT construction in the area might be starting soon.

Beacon Interfaith is proposing a four story multi family on an eternally vacant lot near Mainstreet, in walking distance to Shady Oak and Downtown Hopkins LRT stations.
From the agenda of the upcoming July 23rd Planning Commission agenda

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I haven't been keeping track of it but I think the redevelopment of the Wendy's site on Blake might of fallen through given how I just biked by yesterday and there's a sign for a El Loro restaurant coming soon

From today’s Planning and Zoning commission agenda, St. Gabriel Church at 1310 Mainstreet is proposing to re-establish a convent for up to 10 nuns of the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus. The nuns currently reside in New Ulm and would relocate to Hopkins.

The building is the former daycare building in back, close to Central Park, the play pad and equipment will be removed and a garden will replace it.

Blake is a huge improvement from its previous incarnation where drivers were driving 45 because of its four 13’ wide lanes. But I dream all the time at the lost chance for the two-lane option that was proposed and not picked by the city council.

I don’t know how close the then-city council was to considering the 2-lane option that was presented, but the neighborhood to the east of Blake has long been outraged over rush hour cut through traffic trying to avoid the back up at the TH 7 traffic light. The council bowed to neighborhood anger and went with the four lane design because it would hold more vehicles during rush hour at the epic light length at 7.

But it is the traffic lights that cause the cut through. And the cut throughs are nearly all savvy surrounding neighborhood residents. The four lane version of Blake will not end the cut through driving.

Cottageville though, it’s only going to improve when the Cold Storage site is redeveloped in the coming years as a creek side trail will link to Cottageville from Cedar Lake Trail.